Feature written by Phil Castiaux, Ken Sproat and Graham Usher, Images courtesy of Phil Castiaux.
Before Thursday’s 2-0 win over Southport in the Vanarama National League North, we once again welcomed a guest associated with the fantastic FA Cup run of the 1977/78 season when Spartans reached the Fifth Round proper of the competition.
Eddie Alder was a stalwart midfielder at Croft Park for the 12 years between 1966 and 1978. He holds the honour of representing Blyth Spartans more than any other player with a remarkable 625 games.
Originally a left winger he signed for Blyth from Bedlington Mechanics. Eddie said: “Blyth Chairman Jimmy Turney asked me to sign. I told him I was happy at Bedlington but he invited me to have a game for the Spartans at North Shields. I played and it went from there.”
Eddie was pre-eminent in Blyth’s progression as a club throughout the late 60s and in to the 70s. He combined mobility, tenacity, hard work, adept passing and control with being the ultimate gentleman off the pitch. “I like to think that I read the game well,” he commented. “I got up and down and tried to support the others. I scored quite a lot of goals as a winger but later I provided chances for others.”
He retired briefly in 1975 before returning to the club. Eddie said: “I always had problems with my knees so I decided to give it a rest and I had a short spell coaching at Bedlington. But then Brian Slane and Jack Marks asked to me help with the coaching at Blyth and I discovered there that I could get fit and play again.”
Eddie contributed to three Northern League titles, three Northumberland Senior Cup final wins and took part in an FA Amateur Cup semi-final while at Croft Park. His appearances in the 1977/78 Cup run was accompanied by earlier FA Cup wins against Crewe and Stockport as well as sterling performances against Reading and Grimsby. In 1974 Eddie was in the Blyth team with played Preston at Croft Park. “To play against Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles was an amazing experience,” he said. “Those early 1970s teams were a real highlight for me as well as the 1977/78 Cup team.”
Talking of the 1977/78 squad, and Cup run, Eddie said: “It was a mix of former professionals, younger lads and others reaching their peak. I was possibly passed my peak! Everyone just seemed to blend, plus spirit was a big factor in our success. We just went out and played. We let the opposition worry about us.
“The Stoke game was the best team performance I was part of. When we went ahead it was them who looked like the amateur side. Then at St. James Park for the Wrexham game the atmosphere was unbelievable. I didn’t play in that game but I think the right team was put out that night.”
Eddie was granted a testimonial in 1979.
